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Advice for first-time buyers

Dear David, My wife and I are first time homebuyers. After saving for years, we’ve paid off our existing student loans, car loans and credit card debt. We used an online mortgage calculator to get pre-approved for about $600 thousand. What steps can we take to get started? – ON THE HUNT DEAR HUNT: The

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Should I install a pool?

Dear David,Our kids will be starting school this fall. We hope they’ll make new friends. In anticipation, we want to finish our basement with an extra bedroom and maybe install a pool. We’re not really committed to our current school zone and are trying to figure out if this plan makes sense. – LOOKING AHEAD

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Establishing property value

Dear David, I’ve lived in the same house for over 50 years. I have a new significant other who wants to buy into the property. We want to ensure that if something happens to one of us, our respective estates are treated properly. I called a Realtor to do a market analysis for us and

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Selling a house with a pool

Dear David, We own a large house with a pool. My husband and I want to sell it but can’t agree on a timeline. I want to list the house now and spend our summer at the cottage. He wants one last summer by the pool and would rather list in the fall. I think

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Helping my kids to buy a home

Dear David, A few years ago, we retired, sold our house, left the city and moved back to our hometown. Our two adult sons, who had been living at home, rented a house in our former neighbourhood. The lease is up, and the landlord wants to sell the house. What should they do now? I

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Ask David

How accurate are listing prices?

Dear David, I just heard that a house in my neighbourhood sold for $700 thousand over asking. How is this possible when the market has softened so much? – ASTONISHED DEAR ASTONISHED: When we look at numbers like this, it’s important to consider both the state of the market, and the influence of marketing. Like

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